© UNDP/A. Sarim Abdullah By 2050, rising sea levels could force up to 1.2 billion people from their homes. Top news of the day | Monday: Ukraine, Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan, sea level UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: as a result of attacks on Ukraine in recent days, dozens of people have been killed, military operations continue in Lebanon, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is on a visit to Kyrgyzstan, rising sea levels pose “one of the most serious threats to the population of the whole world.”
Strikes on Ukraine
Nearly 60 civilians were killed and 240 injured in strikes across several regions of Ukraine over the weekend. This was reported by the UN press service with reference to data from local authorities. Kyiv and the Kiev region suffered the most: a drone strike on an ammunition depot caused a powerful explosion, which killed 38 people, including nursing home residents. Another 52 people, including children, were injured. Humanitarian organizations are providing assistance to the victims.
The situation in Lebanon
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continues to record Israeli army activity, including artillery fire and troop movements. Peacekeepers also discovered ammunition supplies left unguarded. Meanwhile, the acting UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jean Arnault, completed his visit to New York, during which he spoke at closed consultations of the Security Council and held meetings with the parties. Arnault emphasized the scale of the challenges facing Lebanon and pointed to the need to ensure a significant international presence in the south of the country after the end of UNIFIL’s mandate. Kyrgyzstan: he takes part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, which takes place in Bishkek on August 31 and September 1. The opening of the meeting coincided with Independence Day of Kyrgyzstan. In Bishkek, the UN chief held a number of bilateral meetings, including with the presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Guterres also attended the opening ceremony of the VI World Nomad Games. This week, Kyrgyzstan will host more than a hundred countries to showcase their traditional sports, crafts and music.
Sea Level Rise
The world’s oceans are rising faster than ever, posing “one of the greatest threats to the world’s population” peace.” This is stated in the UN report, which Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed presented on Monday at the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau. According to the report, by 2050, rising sea levels could force up to 1.2 billion people from their homes. Damage to coastal infrastructure already exceeds $1.8 trillion.